Dogs have a distinct personality- a lot like people. We respond in different ways to various people we meet so it shouldn’t be too surprising that your dog might do this as well. There are times when you meet someone that rubs you the wrong way —maybe just at first but you pick up on a certain vibe about a person. So it’s not all that surprising that dog react similar to humans and “like” certain people while not others.
Dogs are pretty sensitive to the emotions we exhibit. For example if I’m in a bad mood my dog picks up on this—If I get upset with myself over something I’ve done my big 70 pound dog slinks away to the other room thinking I’m mad at her. They’re just sensitive to how we act and react.
This is why I ask dog owners to meet with me for a consultation before the session (any where from a day to several weeks before). I want to dog to get to know me and the environment of the studio. This way the stress level is much lower for the dog on the day of the session. It also helps me educate the owners on what to expect during the session so the owners don’t get overly stressed if they feel their dog isn’t acting the way they think they should act. Because if the owner stresses guess what? The dog picks right up on that and gets stressed as well. Great dog portraits rarely happen with stressed animals.
Going back to your dog not liking certain people. That’s okay and that may well be a sign that the person they dislike is not a good person. However if your dog doesn’t like most people, well then you might want to get some training with a certified trainer (we recommend Your Canine Coach). Modern Dog Magazine has an interesting article going into the psychology of why dogs like some people but not others. You can read that here.
If you think you might be ready to consider a portrait of your dog call 719.475.0160 or email to schedule your pre-session consultation today.